Craze, Romilly Bernard

Craze, Romilly Bernard (1892–1974). English ecclesiastical architect. It is perhaps unfortunate that much of his output consists of replacements of or draconian repairs to churches destroyed or damaged during the 1939–45 war. Among his works St Luke, Farnborough Way, Camberwell (1953–4), St Cuthbert, Watford Road, Wembley (1958–9), St Thomas, Kensal Road, Kensington (1967), and All Saints, Waltham Avenue, Kingsbury (1954), may be cited. He carried out many re-orderings of churches in the Diocese of London, rebuilt (1953–63) Pugin's RC Cathedral of St George, Southwark (erected 1841–8), on the original plan, with details in a curiously desiccated Arts-and-Crafts Free Gothic, and carried out repairs (not often elegantly) to numerous churches, including White's All Saints, Talbot Road, Notting Hill (1949–51), and Keeling's St George, Aubrey Walk, Kensington (1947–9). His Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, Norfolk (1931–7), however, is vaguely Italianate, but the interior is spatially complex for such a small building, and contains a fine reredos by Comper. The land on which the Shrine was built was donated by Sir William Frederick Victor Mordaunt Milner, 8th Baronet (1896–1960), who was Craze's professional partner in the architectural firm of Milner & Craze from 1931.

Bibliography

personal knowledge;
Sheppard (ed.) (1973)